Q5.1 Which is your preferred Scenario for the future of the Southend Airport area?

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

We the residents of Oakham Court wish to make known our objections for an expansion of Southend Airport. The smallest increase of air traffic will cater for 45,000 extra passengers. Planes will be flying over our flats non stop from 07.00am-19.00hrs. The increase in road traffic will be chaotic.

We object to the expansion.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

I am deeply concerned by the news that Southend Airport intends to extend the runway to allow larger planes to use the airport.

Of the options offered in the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, I prefer Scenario 1 the "Low Growth (do minimum)" option.

I understand that in order to extend the runway, it will be necessary to re-route Eastwoodbury Lane, already a very busy road, presumably at some cost to local residents, and also that some houses may be scheduled for demolition to facilitate this diversion.

It is entirely inappropriate for Southend Airport to model itself on the airport in Southampton. Southampton is served by motorways from the north, west and east and the airport is adjacent to one of these. Southend already has congestion problems and certainly does not have the road infrastructure to cope with the 1 million passengers a year going to and from the airport that Southend Airport would like to see by 2012, never mind the 2 million they want by 2030.

I am also concerned that any increase in passenger numbers at Southend Airport will increase air pollution beneath the flight path, affecting a number of local schools and potentially damaging the health of hundreds of local children. The increased noise pollution throughout an even wider area of the town will inevitably impact house prices and in some cases the ability of people to sell their houses at all.

Even though the current plans for the airport don't involve moving St Lawrence Church as previous ones did, an increase to 40 flights a day with bigger planes is likely to cause serious damage to the church's structure anyway, as well as being a constant annoyance to worshippers and local residents.

Please keep me informed of future consultations on the airport and its environs.

My response, my preferred option is the first, carry on with current airport and have those passengers.

The third option involves larger planes and all that involves in particular, it will mean more emissions of green house gases contrary to UK Government's stated policy of trying to reduce them.

Thank you for consulting the RSPB on the proposed second runway at London Southend Airport.

We have considered the information provided in the Joint Area Action Plan Issues and Options Report, and having reviewed this information, we have serious concerns regarding the Issues and Options Report. Our concerns are based on the grounds that the expansion of Southend Airport would increase the capacity of the airport significantly, increase air transport movements and lead to an associated increase in greenhouse gas emissions, which have been shown to contribute to climate change that threatens biodiversity nationally and internationally.

RSPB policy on increasing air travel/transport

The RSPB have serious concerns about the current forecasts for future growth in air travel. Our policy on airports has been formulated after long and deliberate thought and has been informed by independent research we have commissioned to help us understand the way the aviation business operates today and is likely to operate in future. We are in no doubt that set against the current level of airport provision in the South East of England, the economic and social value of further expansion in aviation is far outweighed by its economic, social and environmental costs. Aviation is an increasing contributor to climate change through the emission of "greenhouse gases2 and can pollute locally.

Climate change is now recognised as the single greatest long term threat to the world's biodiversity. It also brings enormous implications for people and humanity worldwide and the ability to which mankind is able to act to limit climate change is likely to be of increasing impact. Addressing the causes of climate change through mitigation (ie greenhouse pollution reduction) measures would, if successful, provide the most significant contribution to addressing the impact of climate change on biodiversity, both in the UK and globally.

Consequently, the RSPB does not want to see unrestricted growth in airport capacity, as we believe there would be unacceptable effects on the environment. Our policy is thus one of questioning the need for expansion of existing or creation of new airports, of asking government to recognise air travel has serious environmental consequences, and to seek and promote ways government can manage the demand for air travel.

In the aviation Green Paper, the Government expressed its intention to adopt a sustainable aviation policy. Environmental NGOs, including the RSPB argued that this should be delivered by constraining further demand through a basket of measures aimed at reflecting the true cost of aviation to the consumer. In the event, Government rejected this approach; the White Paper gives the green light to projects that meet unconstrained demand estimates to 2030. In its place, Government announced its intention to offset increased emissions through an emissions trading scheme. The RSPB has serious reservations about this approach, as the scheme is not in place before increases in capacity, such as at Southend, are being initiated. The Government's failure to adopt any significant measures to manage demand and to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from the aviation sector, now threatens to undermine its whole approach to containing climate change.

If you require any further information regarding the RSPB's views on this proposal or our policies on aviation and climate change, please do contact us.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Issues and Options for the Southend Airport JAAP. I have received the documentation through my contacts at the c2c office in Westcliff. However, I am responding on behalf of both National Express's rail businesses in Southend (c2c Rail and National Express East Anglia) and would be grateful if you would amend your database to include my details for further consultations.

Our prime interest in this proposal is in respect of the proposed new station at the airport, which is intended to be served by all trains on the Southend Victoria route operated by National Express East Anglia (NXEA). The proposal is that NXEA will also be responsible for the staffing and management of the new station. Initial meetings have been held with Laing Rail to set out some principles on which the proposals can be examined in more detail. It is important to note however that our involvement in this project is subject to the franchise term set by the Department for Transport (DfT), currently 2014 for NXEA and 2011 for c2c. In this respect we will need to keep DfT appraised of developments in order that they can assess the impact on future franchises.

The JAAP sets out a number of options for levels of development on the site, both for airport and commercial uses. Clearly, more intensive development will support a more positive business case for the airport, and this in turn will reflect on the business case for the station and the rail service. Preliminary indications are that the station will require the higher levels of growth in air passengers (Scenario 3) for it to be economically viable in its own right. We believe therefore that the station must develop a parallel role as a commuter station for travel to London, and as a destination station for the increased employment on the site, if it is to be feasible in the longer term.

To that end we would lend our support in principle to the following elements of the proposals:

Provision of car parking facilities to support the role of a commuter station, although we will need to undertake our own assessment of the impact of this facility on existing travel patterns across the Southend area, including those on the c2c route to London. We would expect some abstraction of revenue to take place from other stations, but would take a cautious view of the extent of this at this stage. Many of the stations in the local area have limited car parking, and we are aware of a certain amount of rail heading to those stations where parking is available (for example Leigh-on-Sea).

Creation of a public transport interchange at the station. You will be aware that Southend is a national pilot for the station Travel Plans initiative, which encourages a more sustainable approach to the journey to the station. We would expect this approach to be continued at the new station, so whilst provision of a car park is essential, provision for other modes (bus, taxi, cycle, walking) is also required. In particular, the connecting bus service to the employment areas will be hugely important if we are to secure a significant mode share of employee traffic. We would strongly support a requirement for the promoters of the airport expansion to undertake a station travel plan as part of the planning conditions imposed by the planning authority.

Following a recent meeting with Laing Rail, National Express will now be carrying out its own business case evaluation of the station proposal, including identification of our costs for station operation and our estimates of revenue growth. This will inform our view on the airport expansion in the longer term, but in the mean time we remain committed to the principle of the station project.

Please contact me if you need any further clarification on any aspect of our response.